

014 077 445 5 • 



Hollingier 

pH S3 

IVei Run 103-2193 



F 74 
.07 D7 
Copy 1 



DOVER'^ FIRST 
OLD HOME DAY 




AUGUST 19, 1903 



OLD HOME DAY 



IN THE 



TOWN OF DOVER 




AUGUST 19th, 1903 



NATICK, MASS., 

PKKSS OF NATICK BULLETIN, 

1903. 



PREFACE 



Though the Wise Man has said " of making books there is- 
no end and much study is a weariness to the flesh " yet we 
think that it is not useless to print for future reference, the 
many good things that were said at the gathering on our own 
Old Home Day ; that we may have a Souvenir of the occasion, 
to send to the many who were not able to be with us on account 
of the infirmities of age, business engagements, and distance 
from the old home, but who can, by reading these pages, get all 
but the near presence and enthusiasm of the occasion. We are 
indebted to our Heavenly Father for one of the best days that 
could be conceived for such a gathering ; also to our committees 
who did all in their power in the departments to which they 
were assigned, to those who wrote yearning letters expressing a 
desire to be with us but were not able, and we are doubly in. 
debted to those who did come, and by their presence and their 
greetings touched tender chords in our hearts. 

Words fail to express our appreciation to those who 
assisted in entertaining our guests by their music, recitations, 
essays and remarks, all so appropriate to the occasion, and 
which contributed so much toward making it a success. 



COMIVIONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS 



In the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Two. 



AN ACT 

To establish Old Home Week and to authorize its obser- 
vance by cities and towns. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of RepKesentatives in 
General Court assembled^ and by the authority of the same, as 
follows : 

Section i. The calendar week beginning with the last 
Sunday of July in each year is hereby designated as "Old Home 
Week" and is set apart as a season during which cities and 
towns may conduct appropriate celebrations in honor of return- 
ing sons and daughters of the Commonwealth and other invited 
guests, and may hold exercises of historical interest. 

Section 2. Cities by their city councils, and towns at 
legal town meetings, may appropriate money for the observance 
of Old Home Week. 

Section 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. 

Approved Feb. Pj, jgo2. 

Office of the Secretary, Boston, March 14, 1902, 

A true copy : 

WM. M. OLIN, 
Secretary of the Commonwealth. 



DOVER CITIZENS ORGANIZE 



In accordance with the foregoing act, a resolution was 
offered at a meeting of the Dover Historical and Natural 
History Society, for the observance of "Old Home Day" 
in Dover, and asking the two churches, the Dover Temperance 
Union, The Improvement Society and the Grange to each 
appoint a committee to act with a committee of the Historical 
Society to arrange a program for the public observance of "Old 
Home Day." "After some discussion it was decided that a public 
meeting be called of the citizens to take action as to the ob- 
servance of "Old Home Day " by the town, which meeting was 
duly called. Charles C. J. Spear was elected Chairman, and 
Mrs. A. L. Johnson, Secretary. It was voted that the day be 
celebrated, and Aug. 19, 1903, was decided upon as the day. 
The following committees were appointed: 

GENERAL COMMITTEE 

Charles C. J. Spear, Chairman 

Mrs. A. L. Johnson, Secretary 

Ansel K. Tisdale, Registrar. 



Honorary CoMMiTXEE^Asa Talbot, George D. Everett, Josiah 
Whiting, A. F. Dodge, F. H. Wight, Josiah D. Hammond, 
William Whiting, John McKenzie, Mrs. Caleb Kenrick, 
Mrs. Ephraim Wilson, Mrs. F. H. Wight, Mr. and Mrs. 
Leonard Draper, Mrs. Mary Anderson, Francis Bacon. 

Invitation Committee — Eben Higgins (Chairman), Mrs. M. 
A. Everett, George L. Howe, Benjamin N. Sawin, Mrs. 
Phebe Chickering, George E. Chickering, James B. Cough- 
lin. 



Reception Committee — George L. Howe (Chairman), J. W. 

Higgins, George C. Taylor, Mrs. Inez Packard, Mrs. Etta 

L. Hall, Mrs. Emma Colburn, Elbridge L. Mann, James 

McGill, George E. Post, M. W. Comiskey, Mrs. J. L. 

Woodward, Charles S. Bean, Mrs. Emma E. Spear, Mrs. 

Caroline Hodgson, Frederick H. Wight, Mrs. Maria G. 

Paine, Miss Martha Howe, Mrs. L. A. Talbot, Walter M. 

Wotton, Mrs. Evora Wotton, Mrs. Sarah A. Higgins. 
Committee on Sports — Frank Bean (Chairman), Chester Hall, 

Albert Hall, James H, Chickering, Charles S. Bean, 

Richard H. Bond. 
Literary Committee — Allen F. Smith (Chairman), J. W, 

Higgins, Rev. A. H. Johnson, Mrs. Inez Packard, Mrs- 

A. L. Johnson, Mrs. E. D. Smith. 
Committee on Decorations — Mrs. Joshua L. Woodward 

(Chairman), Miss Grace Stowell, Chester Hall, Alma 

Chickering, Frank Bean, George C. Taylor, A. F. Smith, 

E. F. Hodgson, James H. Chickering. 
Financial Committee — Charles H. Bean (Chairman), Joseph 

Ziolkowski, Mrs. George D. Everett, Miss Lillian J. Mann. 

Treasurer, Judson S. Battelle. 
Committee on Badges — Mrs. Emma E. Spear (Chairman), 

Allen F. Smith, Mrs. Eben Higgins. 
■Committee on Refreshments — Joseph Ziolkowski (Chairman), 

Charles S. Bean, Richard H. Bond, Miss Annie Ziolkowski, 

Miss Edith Hall, Mrs. Evora Wotton. 



The following invitation, program and historical facts w^ere 
printed and sent to upward of five hundred persons : 



THE INVITATION 

/^ ONGRATULATING the absent sons and daughters of Do- 
^-'ver upon their lives of usefulness and honor in the world, 
and desiring to strengthen the ties that bind them to one an- 
other and our beautiful town, with the co-operation of the citi- 
zens in public meeting assembled, and in the name of the Town 
of Dover, we invite all former residents, her absent sons and 
daughters and descendants of the same, who may have pleasant 
recollections of a residence here in other years, to visit the town 
during our " Old Home Day" celebration, August 19, 1903, 
reviving memories of other days and together visiting the 
churches on the hill, where we were taught the truth ; the old 
cemetery where our ancestors lie ; the school houses where our 
ideas were enlarged, all somewhat changed and perhaps im- 
proved ; also the brooks where we fished, the river Charles and 
the ponds where we gathered lilies and learned to swim, the 
pastures where we drove the cows to feed, and where in the 
summer we picked berries, and in the autumn went nut gather- 
ing ; all will interest us, inspiring us with noble thoughts and 
recalling the days of yore. 

We will welcome you with outstretched hands in a cordial 
greeting, and have provided for your entertainment an interest- 
ing program, consisting of sports, literary exercises, singing, 
etc., commencing at 9 o'clock a. m., and continuing through the 
day, a full list of which appears on the inside pages. 

In anticipation of a large number and our limited means 
for entertaining all who may be present, the committee have de- 
cided upon a basket lunch (visitors bringing their own), and 
will furnish coffee and lemonade free to all from 12 m. 
to I p. m. A caterer will be at the Town House to provide 
lunches for all who desire, at reasonable rates. 

Anyone receiving an invitation, and knowing of a person 
who has been omitted, is hereby requested to give such a one a 
cordial invitation on behalf of the committee, or send the person's 
name to the chairman of Committee on Invitations, who will 
immediately forward an invitation. 



PROGRAMME, A. M. 



7 a. m. — Ringing of bell. 

9 a. m. — Sports. Confined to residents of the town. Suitable 
prizes awarded to winners of each event. 
I St. — Two Mile. Bicycle Race, for boys under 16 years of 

age. 
2d. — 100 Yard Dash. Open to all. 
3rd. — Running High Jump. 
4th. — Potato Race, for boys. 

5th. — 80 Yard Run, for boys under 14 years of age. 
6th. — 120 Yard Low Hurdles. 

7th. — 100 Yard Dash, for men over 35 years of age. 
8th. — Running Broad Jump. Open. 
9th. — 220 Yard Dash. Open, 
loth. — Potato Race, for girls. 
I ith. — Tug of War. 
10.30 a. m. — Exercises in Town Hall. 

Call to order, by James McGill, Chairman Board of Select- 
men. 
Singing. " Italian Hymn." 
Devotional Exercises. 
Address of Welcome. George L. Howe, President of the 

Day. 
Historical Address. Frank Smith, Dedham. 
Remarks by Invited Guests. 
Singing. " Auld Lang Syne." 
12 m. — Basket Lunch. Coffee and lemonade free to all from 
12 m. to I o'clock. Lunch provided by the caterer at 
reasonable rates. 



PROGRAMME, P. M. 



Exercises in Town Hall, consisting of music, recitations and 

remarks on points of historic interest. 
1.30 p. m. — Singing. " Home, Sweet Home." 



The Old Powder House and Town Pound 

George L. Howe- 
Violin Solo ---..- Idalian Howard 
The Old Parsonage . - - Mrs. Lizzie Chickering 
Recitation. " New England." - - Edith McClure 

The Toll Gate Ansel Tisdale 

The Wilson Homestead - - Ephraim H. Wilson 

Violin Solo, Idalian Howard 

Recitation. "Old Farmers' Almanac" 

Thomas Jefiferson Tobey 

Singing Quartette 

The Flag Mrs. M. A. Everett 

Singing. "America." All requested to join. 
3 p. m. — Base Ball Game. Married Men vs. Single Men. 

Exhibition of historical relics, in charge of Reception Com- 
mittee, who will be on duty at the Town Hall during the 
day. 



HISTORICAL 



Dover was originally a part of Dedham, and without doubt 
performed its full duty to its parent without stint or measure, 
bearing its full share of the burdens. 

In 1729, on petition to the General Court, what is now Do- 
ver was freed from paying their minister rates in Dedham, and 
ordered to pay their ministerial taxes to the several ministers 
of other towns, where they attended on public worship. 

In 1748, on petition to the General Court, the inhabitants 
were vested with parish privileges, and made a district precinct, 
with bounds, and called the fourth precinct of Dedham, or 
Springfield Parish. 

First meeting-house built and dedicated December, 1754. 

In 1784 the precinct was incorporated into a district by 
the name of Dover, and, with the exception of not having a 
representative, exercised all the functions of a town, with a ful^ 



hoard of officers, maintained highways, took care of the poor, 
and supported schools. 

In 1836 Dover was incorporated as a town. 

Benjamin Caryl was the first minister, and accepted thg 
•call of the parish, Sept. 5, 1762. The house in which he lived 
is still standing and in a good state of preservation. 

In the battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, one Dover 
soldier, Elias Haven, was killed. 

The oldest houses now standing are the John Glassett 
2iouse, on Haven street, 1748 ; the Arnold Wight house, Straw'- 
iberry hill, 1775; the George E. Chickering house. Haven street, 
^768. 



OLD HOME DAY 



AUGUST 19, 1903 



The sun rose clear, and the day was bright and beauti- 
ful. At seven o'clock the festivities began with the ringing of 
the old church bell for half an hour. 

At nine o'clock the sports for which our young people had 
been practicing began and were well contested. The following 
is the list of the contestants with names of the winners and 
prizes received. 



SPORTS 



TWO MILE BICYCLE RACE FOR BOYS UNDER 16 

Entries : 

Clarence Taylor, James Harty, Edward Sawyer, Clarence 

Hall, Fred Neal, Frank Spear. 
Winners : 

Clarence Hall, ist Prize — Fishing Rod. 

Fred Neal, 2nd Prize — Sprint Pants. 

100 YARD DASH 

Entries : 

Henry Cowles, James Harty, Clarence Hall, Chas. Dickens, 

Weyland Minot, M. Comiskey, James Chickering, Frank 

Bean, A. Edward Hall. 
Winners : 

James Chickering, ist Prize- — Silver Loving Cup. 

RUNNING HIGH JUMP 
Entries : 

James Harty, Lester Bennett, Edward Sawyer, Clarence 



Hall, Frank Bean, James Chickering, A. Edward Hal! 
M. Comiskey. 
Winners : 

Frank Bean, ist Prize — Silver Cup. 
M. Comiskey, 2nd Prize — Wallet. 

POTATO RACE FOR BOYS 
Entries: 

Frank Spear, Lester Bennett, Richard Breagy, Clarence 
Hall, Edward Sawyer, James Harty, Weyland Minot,. 
Loring Woodward, Leon Bean, Lawrence Welch, H. A. 
Welch, Harry Minot. 
Winners : 

Richard Breag}', ist Prize — Silver Watch. 
Clarence Hall, 2nd Prize — Baseball Glove. 

80 YARD RUN FOR BOYS UNDER 14 
Entries : 

Clifford Nelson, H. A. Welch, E. Taylor, Loring Woodward,. 
Leon Bean, Richard Breagy, Clarence Hall, Henry Nolan^ 
William Yankee, Harry Minot, Weyland Minot. 
Winners : 

Clarence Hall, ist Prize — -Camera. 
Weyland Minot, 2nd Prize — Baseball. 

RUNNING BROAD JUMP 
Entries : 

Henry Cowles, James Harty, Loring Woodward, Chester 
Hall, Clarence Hall, Weyland Minot, Frank Bean, James 
Chickering, A. Edward Hall. 
Winners: 

Frank Bean, ist Prize — Large German Stein. 

James Chickering, 2nd Prize — Gold Necktie Pin. 

A. Edward Hall, 3d Prize — Silver Top Water Pitcher. 

220 YARD RUN 

Entries: 

James Harty, Harold McKenzie, Frank Bean, James 
Chickering, Frederic French, A. Edward Hall (withdrew). 



Winners : 

James Chickering, ist Prize — Silver Loving Cup. 
Frank Bean, 2nd Prize — Watch Fob. 
Frederic French, 3d Prize. 

POTATO RACE FOR GIRLS 
Entries : 

Evelyn Bean, Una Bean, Florence Clancy, Emma Lovely, 
May McClure. 
Winners : 

Evelyn Bean, ist Prize — Fan. 

Florence Clancy, 2d Prize — -Silver Bracelet. 



EXERCISES IN THE HALL 



At 10.30 o'clock the exercises in the Town Hall commenced, 
James McGill, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, calling 
the meeting to order and inviting the audience to join in 
.singing the following hymn: 

Come, thou Almighty King, 
Help us Thy name to sing. 

Help us to praise: 
Father! all glorious. 
O'er all victorious ; 
Come, and reign over us 

Ancient of days ! 

Come, Thou Incarnate Word ! 
Gird on Thy mighty sword, 

Our prayer attend : 
Come, and thy people bless. 
And give Thy word success, — 
Spirit of Holiness ! 

On us descend. 

Come, Holy Comforter ! 
Thy sacred witness bear. 

In this glad hour : 
Thou, Who Almighlly art, 
Now rule in every heart, 
And ne'er from us depart, 

Spirit of Power ! 



14 

Rev. A. H. Johnson offered prayer. 

The Chairman introduced Geo. L. Howe as the President 
of the day, who took charge of the exercises and gave the fol- 
lowing address of welcome : 

Sons and Daughters, Former Residents and Friends : — 

It certainly is a very pleasant duty that is assigned me to 
welcome you to this Home gathering and let me assure you if 
you receive as much pleasure in coming as we do in receiving, 
we shall feel fully repaid for the effort made to observe this day. 
Our forefathers established a home-gathering day — a day of 
thanksgiving. What preparation was made for that day ? The 
choicest fruit from the orchard was saved, the nuts from the 
pasture and hilltop, the ripest and yellowest pumpkin for the 
pumpkin-pies, the busy housewife preparing the choicest viands^ 
nothing was too good for that day. For why ? There was to 
be home-gathering of kindred and friends around the family 
hearth-stone. This is our Thanksgiving day, our home-gather- 
ing day. We feel an honest pride in those who have gone out 
from us, as they have been called to fill places of trust and 
responsibility. Of such there have been of men and women not 
a few. 

How many from every walk in life have stepped into this 
little hamlet and chosen our daughters to be their companions, 
ministers, lawyers, doctors, sturdy farmers, skilled mechanics; 
we pronounce these men as farsighted, men of good common 
sense, of good sound judgment, as it has invariably proved. In 
fact, so often has this been done that some of us are left 
alone. 

We would not forget those who have lived among us and 
have passed over the river. We feel their lives have been a 
blessing, the influence of which is felt here today, for nothing 
good is lost. 

Now, my friends, with out-stretched hands and open hearts 
I bid you a most hearty welcome, and may the influence of this 
day be the means of strengthening the ties that bind us to 
gether. 



^5 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS BY MR. FRANK SMITH 
OF DEDHAM 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: — 

There is great satisfaction in taking part in this first " Old 
Home Day" celebration. There is real pleasure in looking into 
the faces of former neighbors and friends ; in going back to the 
old home, with all its tender memories and associations , in 
treading again the paths where our mothers led our baby feet ; 
in resting beneath familiar trees and plucking fruit from their 
branches as of old ; and above all in cherishing the traditions of 
the devoted lives of those who have made the dear old town what 
she is today, for these traditions bind us to her with every fibre 
of our hearts. I should like to speak to you along these lines, 
but on an occasion like this, I believe we should, as far as possible, 
recreate the past, and picture to ourselves the life of the early 
settlers who experienced in the clearing of these farms a condi- 
tion of life which long since has passed away. 

What can more profitably engage our attention than a con-^ 
sideration of the life and the habits of those settlers who first 
developed the territory on which so many of us were born, or 
now live ? 

Let us for a few moments imagine the dangers, the privations, 
the difficulties and the perplexities of their daily life. Henry 
Wilson, in 1640, left his neighbors and friends in Dedham town 
and commenced a settlement on the path leading to Powisset, 
now called Wilsondale street, where his lineal descendants have 
continued to live, and are still carrying on his vocation. 

James Draper, the Puritan, from whom so many proudly 
trace their lineage today, left his home in West Roxbury as 
early as 1656, and for more than twenty years lived, no small 
part of the time, in the west part of Dover, on a farm which 
extended from the Natick to the Medfield line, a part of which 
farm is still occupied by a lineal descendant, George Draper 
Everett, on Farm street. In these years, Mr. Draper had child- 
ren born to him in both Dedham and Roxbury, but he did not 



i6 

Ijecome a freeman in Roxbury until 1690, two years after selling 
his Dover farm to his son John, a fact which indicates that he 
spent much of his time here. 

Andrew Dewing, who later lived in Needham, and built, as 
it is believed, a garrison house in the west part of that town^ 
now Wellesley, was living on the Clay Brook Road in 1669. 
This place was later occupied, as we believe, by Thomas 
Battelle, the progenitor of the Battelle family, which for two 
hundred years has been so numerous in this town. The ruins 
of the old cellar can still be seen near the picnic grounds of 
Benjamin N. Sawin, just west of Trout Brook. Mr. Battelle 
•came here at an uncertain date, probably just after King 
Philip's war, or possibly before, as the attitude of the Praying 
Indians at Natick was most friendly. 

Nathaniel Chickering, whose descendants are still numer- 
ously represented here, after a lapse of more than two centuries, 
commenced his settlement at the centre of the town, previous 
to 1690, on a farm which is still occupied by a lineal descend- 
ant, George Ellis Chickering, on Haven street. 

Eleazer Ellis came here as early as 1690, and perhaps his 
farm was occupied still earlier, as in the division of his estate 
in 1755 his house is spoken of as very old. He lived on the 
farm now occupied by Capt. VVotton on Haven street. His 
house stood on the knoll east of Mr. Chickering's house. 

With the exception of Mr. Ellis, all of the above settlers 
were Puritans, whose feet had trodden, before coming to this 
wilderness, the ways and the by-ways of old England, and who 
carried with them wherever they went the Puritan spirit, which 
not only has made New England what she is, but also has been 
a moulding influence in the development of the nation. We 
have, in the words of one of the early settlers of Dedham, 
Michael Metcalf, whose descendant, Samuel Metcalf, headed 
the petition for the organization of the Springfield Parish in 
1748, an account which gives a realistic picture of the persecu- 
tion of the Puritans in England before coming to New England. 
He says, " I was persecuted in the land of my father's sepul- 
chre for not observing ceremonies in religion forced upon me. 



17 

I was obliged, for the sake of the liberty of my conscience, to 
flee from my wife and children, to go into New England, taking 
ship for the voyage at London, the 17th of September, 1636, 
being by tempests tossed up and down the seas till Christmas 
following, then veering round about to Plymouth in Old 
England, in which time I met with many severe afflictions. 
Leaving the ship I went down to Yarmouth, where I shipped 
myself and family to come to New England, sailed 15th of April, 
1637, and arrived three days before mid-summer with my wife, 
■nine children and a servant." In the postscript to the above 
he says, " My enemies conspired against me to take away my 
life, and sometimes, to avoid their hands, my wife did hide me 
in the roof of the house, covering me with straw." 

Of these early settlers Henry Wilson was probably the only 
one to build a log house ; transfers of real estate and other 
facts, make it clear that the other settlers built frame houses. 
It is a tradition in the 'family that Henry Wilson awoke in his 
new house, the first time he slept there, to see a wildcat, the 
most dreaded of all beasts, looking in at the window. Wolves 
were common and were destructive to property. 

The story is still told by the descendants of Hezekiah 
Allen, who lived on Pegan Hill, that the wolves came one 
Sunday afternoon, while the family was attending church at 
Natick, and killed the sheep which had been left in the pasture. 
The deer, of which the Indians had been indefatigable 
hunters, still sported in the forest. The black bear roamed at 
will, and was not regarded as dangerous, as at most seasons of 
the year he would flee from man or dog, but when the straw- 
berries were ripe on Strawberry Hill, on which he liked to feed, 
it was not best to molest bruin. How my father used to appeal 
to my imagination, by pointing out to me the spot where the 
last bear was killed, in the west part of the town. 

Fur bearing animals were numerous, of which the otter 
was common, and a source of revenue, as well as the mink, 
which was found long after the otter had disappeared from the 
brook which bears its name, in the west part of the town. 

Through transfers of real estate, and references therein 



i8 

made to Beaver Dam, we are enabled to establish the fact that 
this curious and ingenious animal once lived here, and built the 
dam across Mill Brook, wh'ch has been so long pointed out in 
the east part of the town. 

Rattlesnakes were very common in the rocky woods west 
of Hartford street, in fact they were very plentiful in the whole 
region. The house of Samuel Chickering, who was the first 
white settler at Powisset, is spoken of in a transfer of real 
estate as being near "Rattlesnake Rock." For many years a 
bounty on rattlesnakes was given by the town of Dedham, as 
well as by the adjoining town of Medfield. The story is told 
of Capt. Walter Stowe, who lived on Hartford street, that he 
found on his farm one day a rattlesnake, which he drove with 
his whip across the line into Medfield, where he killed it, and 
claimed the bounty from that town, as no bounty was then 
given by Dover. , 

When the darkness of night settled around these early 
homes, the light of the big fire-place was supplemented by the 
burning of pine knots, which had been gathered in the fall for 
a winter's supply. This candle wood, as it was sometimes called, 
made a bright light and much work was done by it in the hum- 
ble homes of the early settlers, yet it was not a satisfactory light, 
so the " Betty lamp," now seldom seen except in historical 
collections, was early introduced. This lamp was hung from a 
hook or nail, and the bowl was filled with grease in which a 
lighted cotton rag was placed. Later, candles were dipped in 
every home, followed by the candle mold, of which some fine 
specimens are still found in town. 

Tallow was in such demand that it was worth three times 
as much a pound as either beef, mutton or veal, in 1797, as 
shown by the account book of Amos Wight, who lived on Farm 
street, where his great grandson, George Battelle, now lives. 
This book is still in existence and shows the low prices of 
commodities at that time, beef, pork and veal being worth only 
two pence per pound. 

The candle in time gave place to the whale oil lamp, which 
was followed in the early fifties by the fluid lamp, which proved 



^9 

exceedingly dangerous. There are those still, living who bear 
the scar of burns inflicted by this lamp. Happily it was soon 
followed by the kerosene lamp which has proved, up to the 
present time, so economical, serviceable and convenient. 

It is believed that Thomas Smith, who lived on County 
street, was the first person in town to use a kerosene lamp. He 
was so much pleased with it that he invited his friends and 
neighbors from near and far to come in. He explained to them 
the value of this improvement, not only in the quality of the 
light, which never has been improved vipon, but in the method 
of controlling the same. The fact that the wick immediately 
ignited, and could be raised or lowered bv simply turning a 
thumb screw was considered wonderful, and greatly appreciated 
by those who had lighted tallow candles or lard oil lamps on 
cold winter mornings. 

We may remember that this territory was once really in- 
habited by Indians. We read in the records of the town of 
Dedham of their wigwams being near the village of Dedham in 
the early settlement of the town. Farther west on the plain of 
Powisset, on the banks of Charles River, on the gentle slope of 
Pegan Hill, and near the fertile meadows of Noanet Brook, 
they lived and led the peculiar life of the red men. 

As we today make pilgrimages to other ; places, so the 
Indians long ago made pilgrimages to this territory, which the 
Apostle Eliot tells us, was a peculiar hunting ground of the 
Indians. Years afterwards when the Indians were brought 
together on the Indian farm at South Natick, they often wan- 
dered from town to town, selling baskets and begging of the 
farmers wherever they went a drink of cider. Their request 
for food and lodging was never denied. The Re;v. Joseph Allen 
of Northboro, who was born in Medfield, not far from the 
Dover line, said he remembered seeing seventeen Indians come 
out of the barn one morning, where they had been lodged by 
his father's permission, and go to the house to receive a break- 
fast from his mother. 

Riding over our winding streets in summer, especially the 



Clay Brook road,* as it has been called from time immemor- 
ial, a name which should be restored to this street, which is 
still shaded as it has been for two centuries and a half, its 
stillness broken only by the twitter of birds among the 
branches, one is reminded of the " age of wood," when almost 
every article used by our ancestors was made of this material. 

Before the invention of pins, our grandmothers used the 
thorn of the buck thorn, which grows wild in our pastures to- 
day, for all purposes for which pins were used. In the con. 
struction of their dwelling houses wooden pins often took the 
place of nails and doors w-ere hung on wooden hinges. 

It is said on good authority that Jesse F'isher, who once 
lived on the abandoned farm near the New Mill, and who sold 
it in 1792 and moved to Brewer, Maine, built there a house into 
which no article of iron or metal entered, it being constructed 
entirely of wood. In these old homes the wooden door lock 
fastened the door, and while the latch string was out, it was an 
invitation to all to enter. Within the house wooden plates and 
bowls and spoons were daily used. Wooden clocks told the 
passing hours, and Indian brooms made entirely of wood were 
used to sweep the floor, while the besom did service in the barn. 

Spinning wheels and flax brakes were made of wood, and 
•wooden vats were used in dyeing woolen clothes. In making 
butter and cheese wooden articles alone were used. Wooden 
■casks of one, two and four quarts, called runlets, of which some 
^ood specimens still remain, were generally used at the time of 
the revolution and for many years afterwards in place of jugs. 
Wooden tubs, firkins, barrels and casks which were made in 
town were used to hold all articles of dry or liquid measure. 

Out of doors the furrows were turned by the wooden plow, 
and grain was thrashed with the wooden flail. Wooden carts 
and sleds and drays did service in their turn. During the 
period from 1700 to 1800 there were four fcoopers in town who 
followed their trade. 

* Now named Charles River street. 

fAsa Mason, Samuel Allen, Ebenezer Newell and Asa 
Jiichards. 



The wood a-^e has long since passed away but the associa- 
tions still remaiiwind mark the progress which has been made- 
While all the early settlers cultivated the soil, they were- 
only farmers in a small way. This industry has had an evolu- 
tion as well as all others. At first only a few acres were culti- 
vated, what was necessary to yield a sufficient supply of cereals 
and vegetables for the family. This was before the introduction 
of pota'toes when turnips were used. Little hay was grown, as 
the farmer often made no milk in the winter season ; horn cattle 
were turned to browse. One farmer on Strawberry Hill is said 
to have kept his cow all winter on two baskets of hay. 

Oxen were fed on meadow hay, which in quality was much 
better than at present. Before the building of dams on Charles- 
River, the meadows yielded a fine crop of what was called fowl 
meadow grass, which was highly prized by the farmers, and the 
worthless meadows of today were then assessed as much per 
acre as any land in town. 

With the beginning of ship building in Boston, which was 
introduced at an early time, ship timber was in great demand 
and for many years the settlers were kept busy in cutting oft" 
the forests. 

The trees were stra ght and tall and the ground free from' 
underbrush, as the settlers continued the Indian practice of 
burnin- the woods annually, and Henry Wilson and others 
were often appointed by the town of Dedham to burn the 
woods at Powisset and other places in the vicinity. Later 
much wood was burned into charcoal, for which there was a 
steady demand. As the forests were cat off, more and more 
land was cleared for pasture or tillage, and in this way, in the 
course of a hundred years, our la«-gest farms were made. 

In those days the spinning wheel hummed busily in every 
household, and on some farms there was a weaving shop where 
the more elaborate things for the well-to-do were made. Such 
shops existed on the farms of Jesse Newell* on Centre street 
and Josiah Richards on Strawberry Hill. The latter shop 

*John Griggs and Ihomas Burrage ivere also 7veavers. 



22 

became the first school house in the east district. It stood in the 
house yard of the farm owned by the late Miss Mary Bullard. 
Farmers at this time had but little money. Some of them 
gathered, perhaps, less than a hundred dollars a year. "These 
were the times of independence, poverty and simplicity." The 
wife was expected to sell butter, eggs and poultry enough to 
clothe herself and the children. \\'omen went regularly to the 
Boston market, with the pillion thrown across the horse's back. 
Such was the practice for many years of Mrs. Seth Mason, 
who lived on Benjamin Kenrick's place on Farm street. 

After the first planting, all the work in the garden was 
done by the women folks who looked out to give the flax an 
early start. They also milked the cows and made butter and 
cheese. The farmer often raised his own meat and cured it 
himself. A smoke house was not uncommon on a farm. A 
supply of fresh meat was had in summer through a system of 
exchange. \\'hen a farmer killed a sheep, a calf, or a pig, he 
exchanged a portion with his neighbor, to be paid back when 
he in turn slaughtered. 

An amusing story is told of a farmer who kept only one 
cow, and yet to his great dismay, found that he had exchanged 
for five quarters of veal ; this, however, was made right when 
his cow gave birth to twins, which enabled him to return the 
five quarters and still have three quarters left. 

Fish abounded in Charles River before the introduction of 
dims, and salmon and elwive were plentiful in the spring of the 
year. These fish were taken in large quantities at fording 
places on the river. Such a place existed in the west part of 
the town near where Mr. Minot has built his boat house. 

This spot was also designated as the flax place, for here 
the flax was rotted, a process necessary to the separation of 
the fibre. Here the sheep were also washed at that season 
when the Lord tempers the wind to the shorn lamb. On many 
farms there was a blacksmith's shop where the farmer did his 
own work, and this saved the expense of horse and ox shoeing. 
The location of fourteen shops can be given. 

Springs of water are always formed near the homes of early 



23 

settlers, where a never-failing supply of water was had for the 
household and the stock. Before wells were dug women often 
brought all the water used in the household, even on washing 
■days, from the springs. The men were away on the road, and 
the women looked after the farm and the household. With the 
building of wells came the picturesque well sweep and later the 
windlass. The introduction of the wooden pump was more 
serviceable m summer than in winter. On a cold winter morn- 
ing, a kettle of hot water was always in order with which to 
thaw the pump. William Pitt Allen and John Brown were the 
first to introduce running water into their houses. In 1797 
they purchased the right for ten dollars to take water from a 
spring on Began Hill, and their farms (the Proctor and t bl- 
coYcl places) are still supplied from the same source. We must 
bear in mind that nearly all which now makes for the luxury 
and convenience of home life has been introduced within the 
memory ot living men. The last fifty years has witnessed 
more progress than the preceding two thousand years in these 
matters. 

Without such things as matches as a means of producing 
fire in the cold and inclement climate of New Engiar.d, our 
fathers lived with the open fireplace and no means of heating 
hall or sleeping room. The introduction of the furnace, storm 
doors and windows, together with weather strips, said to have 
been invented by Charles Marden of Dover, has brought health 
and comfort to many homes. 

Farming as shown in the illustration of farm tools in the 
Narrative History of Dover, was of the most primitive kind. 
•Grain was harvested as it had been for thousands of years by 
means of the sickle and thrashed by the hand flail. 

What was the life of the children in those early days ? 

Boys staid at home and assisted in the farm work until 
they were one and twenty, while the girls worked out or re- 
mained with their mothers until they married and had homes of 
their own. 

It has been said that the life and character of a country is 
'determined in a large degree by the sports of the boys. The 



24 

Duke of Wellington remarked that the victory at Waterloo was 
won on the playfield at Eton. The American forces were suc- 
cessful in the Revolution because they had learned to handle the 
fowling piece in thtir sports. They had become a sure shot in 
bringing down wild game for the table. 

What effect the introduction of the bicycle, automobile, 
polo, and golf will have on the future character of the American 
people remains to be seen. 

The boys forty years ago found sport in a Cornwallis, 
which was held on the anniversary of the capture of Cornwallis 
at Yorktown. 

Such a celebration is recalled which took place at Natick. 
There were organized companies in uniform representing the 
British Army, and an equally large number of volunteers, in old- 
fashioned dress and with such muskets as they could pick up, 
who represented the American Army, and there was a parade 
and a sham fight which ended in victory for the Americans over 
the British. After the engagement, Cornwallis and his troops 
were paraded as captives. 

I am glad that the old training field, which meant so much 
to the colonial life of the people, has been marked with an ap- 
propriate bowlder. 

" On the village green falls the elm trees' shade, 
Where the minute men mustered in days gone by.' 

And I wish you would emulate the example of the sister 

town of Norwood, which was once with Dover a parish in Ded- 

ham, by placing field bowlders, suitably inscribed, upon historic 

spots, thus stimulating the patriotism and reverence of your 

citizens for heroic deeds and noble sacrifice 

" where great deeds were done, 
A power abides transferred from sire to son." 

I have noted a recent tendency to call the land which 

Henry Tisdale and his wife deeded to the town of Dover in 1795 

" for the common use and benefit of the inhabitants forever," by 

the name of Central Park. In accordance with ancient usage,. 

which originated with our ancestors across the waters, all such 

lands were called commons, a word which signifies the common 

or general fields set apart for the inhabitants, of which no one 



25 

has the right to demand a division. In England this epithet 
was applied to common lands during the semi-feudal period, and 
has been used for generations in France and Spain. 

The mother town of Dedham had its common as early as 
1641, and when, in 1637, the inhabitants wanted to confine their 
swine, it was voted to erect a " hog park," but the land set apart 
for the use of all has always been called a common. This word 
had a special significance among the early settlers. All early 
colonial laws were called common laws, and were the unwritten 
laws of England. Much of the arable land was called cow and 
sheep commons. When schools were established they were 
called, as you know, common schools, without reference to the 
studies pursued, but meaning that they were for the common use 
of the children. While all other public areas in town may ap- 
propriately be called parks, I hope that Dover Common will ever 
retain the name given it by our fathers as representing a custom 
which has come down from the past, and by which this piece of 
land has been known for a century. 

On the training field the townspeople assembled for the May 
training when the respective companies of the' state paraded in^ 
their own towns. None enjoyed this occasion more than the 
boys who feasted on gingerbread and assembled at an early 
hour on the green to see the company form in line and go- 
through their military drill. 

The old tavern across the way was never quite so full of 
patrons as on these days when the whole community turned out 
for the muster. The street parade was made with the captain 
at the head of the company, fife and drum next, and then the 
rank and file keeping step, proud of their uniforms and guns.. 
The fife and drum were the same, perchance, which in years- 
^one by had inspired the minute-men and cheered the old con- 
tinentals on many a battlefield of the Revolution, when the fate, 
not merely of the colonies but of a great nation yet to be, de- 
pended upon the men of New England. 

But the old training field so zealously guarded from en- 
croachment by our ancestors, no longer receives the tread of 
martial feet. The echo of the fife and drum, which awakened. 



26 

•such thrills of excitement and enthusiasm in our fathers, has 
faded away and the soldiers have broken ranks and the muster 
is ended. 

Truly the boys on those old farms led a hard life. Often at 
four or five years of age they rode the horse in hoeing time for 
weary hours back and forth between the rows of growing corn, 
and at ten many drove oxen for heavy plowing. 

In summer they were up by times to drive the cows to pas- 
ture ; and in haying time they turned the grindstone before 
breakfast to sharpen the scythe. 

Farm boys had a rest in winter as there was little to be 
■done, except to care for the stock and work up a year's supply 
of wood. At this time boys and girls took advantage of the dis- 
trict schools and often attended until they were eighteen or 
iwenty years of age. 

Meagre though the education was, we should never forget 
the labors and the sacrifice of our fathers in gaining educational 
facilities for their children. 

Individuals at first built a schoolhouse on Haven street to 
accommodate the moving school which existed for a time in 
Dedham. Bat soon after the organization of the Parish in 1748 
the residents were so anxious to have a parish school that they 
petitioned the General Court for permission to build a school- 
thouse, which, after much labor, was completed in '763. 

A little later steps were taken to build schoolhouses in the 
East and West parts of the town, but the lowering clouds of the 
Revolution forbade such an expenditure ; however, after the 
•separation from Dedham in 1784, schoolhouses were immediately 
built in these districts. 

Whoever studies the evolution of our schools will find 
through what a slow and laborious process they have been 
■evolved, and what a sacrifice has been made to bring them up 
to their present efficiency. Remembering the work of the 
fathers I trust it will be the purpose of this town in the future, 
.as in the past, to educate its children as far as possible at home. 

Education is something more than going to school a cer- 
4ain number of weeks each year, something more than knowing 



27 

how to read and to write, as illustrated in the lives of the people 
■of this Parish from the start. Take the hill town academy of 
fifty years ago. Its curriculum was so narrow that the average 
teacher of today would utterly condemn it ; its instruction was 
often poor and the studies were pursued in ways utterly foreign 
to present methods, and its standards were so low that it would 
not now be tolerated, yet it produced a class of men and wo- 
men who have largely made the New England of today, and 
whose influence is still felt in the remotest parts of our countiy. 
As the life is more than meat, and the body more than raiment, 
so education is something more than courses of study and per- 
centages. 

The people of this town have always had the character to 
■do something for themselves and humanity, the industry to 
achieve results in life, and the patriotism to defend their coun- 
try with their means and lives when the occasion demanded. 

From the reaaer, arithmetic and spelling book they got 
their education, meagre at best, but not altogether inadequate, 
as subsequent events have shown. 

In the development of educational advantages it was the 
boy who first gained a college education. Later his sister had 
the advantage of the New England Academy and the State Nor- 
mal School. The first man to graduate from college in this 
town was Nathaniel Battelle, who graduated from Harvard in 
1765 ; the first woman was Annie M. McGill (Mrs. Albert P- 
Morse), who graduated from Ripon College in 1884, more than 
a century later. 

It IS well for us to consider " the intellectual bondage of 
colonial and revolutionary days." The years previous to the 
Revolution were dreary and barren, especially in books for the 
young. The men "who crossed the sea in quest of civil and 
religious liberty came not to write, but to do '' For the first 
one hundred and sixty years of New England life nearly all 
books were brought from England, although some reprints were 
early produced here. There were few, if any, books for child- 
ren. The first book read by the children of this Parish was the 
New England Primer which appeared near the close of the 



28 

17th century. There are some excellent specimens of this mar- 
velous book still in existence which were used here at an early- 
time. All the youth knew of reading was gained from its pages. 
Later, school text books were used and the children had Webs- 
ter's Speller, The Young Ladies' Accidence, Murry's English 
Reader and Morse's Geography. 

Children's books were small in size and bound with covers 
which were made of bits of wood and held by a coarse leather 
back Over the wood was often placed blue paper or some 
hideous wall paper. 

After the Revolution this poverty of literature was gradu- 
ally enriched by the pen of New Kngland writers, until its 
wealth can be realized only through the inspection of a great 
library. Some who have been connected with this town have been 
prolific writers of children's books, namely, Horatio Alger, who 
was for a time minister of the First church, the Rev. P. C. 
Headley, for several years pastor of the Evangelical Congrega- 
tional church and Miss A. G. Plimpton, still a resident of Dover. 

There was early established here a Proprietors' or Sub- 
scription Library. These libraries orginated in the fertile mind 
of Benjamin Franklin. 

The hrst Proprietors' Library in New England is said to 
have been established in Pomfret, Conn., in 1738. In Massa- 
chusetts, these libraries became common about a half century 
later. 

There was a library here of several hundred volumes in 
18 1 2, which had been organized some years earlier. This 
library was fostered by the town minister, the Rev. Dr. Ralph 
Sanger, and it became a power in the community. 

I have learned in many ways of the cultivated social life of 
the people of this town seventy-five years ago, when they found 
their social life among themselves, working together to build up 
the primary conditions of civilization. 

We must not think of the social life of our fathers as rude» 
uncouth and monotonous, hard though it was, for with it all, 
there was often a dignified courtesy that is wanting today. 

This library was patronized by people from out of town. 



29 

especially the residents of South Natick, and its great power for 
good has been ackowledged by residents of that place, especially 
the Rev. Dr. Newell, the Rev. Dr. Calvin E. Stowe, and the 
Hon. Ames Perry, the late librarian of the Rhode Island His- 
torical Society. 

I love to think that Dr. Stowe's reading of these books in 
his youth had much to do with creating his literary taste, and 
in cutivating that love for historical lore which he so abundantly 
possessed. 

The Oldtown Fireside Stories of his are not only a part of 
Natick history, but a part of Dover history as well. They give 
a true picture drawn from life of the social, moral, religious and 
economic condition of New England life as Dr. Stowe saw it in 
his boyhood. 

Residents of this town were familiar with many of these 
stories long before they appeared from the pen of Harriet 
Beecher Stowe. These are the stories that Dr. Stowe told his 
children for many years, written out in almost the exact words 
in which he told them. 

Dr. Caryl's old saddle bag, in your historical collection, 
which contains some of the remedies used in his time, reminds 
us of the great progress that has been made in the practice of 
medicine. Cupping and bleeding were universally practiced in 
Dr. Caryl's day. In many families there was a bowl which was 
kept in the cupboard and used again and again in bleeding the 
sick. Blistering was common, and caster oil, calomel, ipecac, 
salts, and senna, sulphur and molasses were the remedies most 
used. What a wonderful advance has also been made in the 
care of the injured and insane during the last century. 

Houses are still standing with staples in their walls, which 
were driven to confine insane persons, as there were no asylums 
in those days, and here through long years they were confined 
by being tied, until death gave them a release. I myself have 
seen staples which were driven into oak beams to support those, 
who before the discovery of anaesthetics had to submit to sur- 
gical operations and whose shrieks were heard a half mile away. 
How these rude appliances appeal to our imagination and mark 



3° 

the progress that was made under 19th century civilization. 

Martin Cheney who was born in 1792 on Mr. Coughlan's 
farm, on Walpole street, and who came very near losing his life 
when eleven years of age, gave the following account of a 
surgical operation at that time : 

" The doctor* retired to the fields, where he remained 
nearly an hour. When he returned he called for pen and ink,^ 
and made a mark on the thigh where he was going to cut. My 
mother and sisters left the room, all the family I think except 
my father. The assistant surgeon said I must be held. To my 
surprise and that of all present, the doctor said, ' No he will 
bear it, I know he will,' and such was the confidence and 
courage he inspired in me that I did endure it without a 
groan." 

The last hundred years has witnessed more progress in 
agriculture, that occupation which antidates every other in- 
dustry of the race, than the preceding three thousand years. 
In no one thing has there been greater progress than in cattle 
food, the ensilage of forage, to which a resident of this town, 
the late Samuel M. Colcord, made no mean contribution in his 
silo governer. In the feeding of farm stock the last century 
opened with dry herds during the winter season, and closed 
with the problem solved of winter feeding. 

It is said that among the town records of Hadley, Mass.^ 
is an entry to the efi^ect that the cows gave so little milk 
through the winter, that the babies had to take cider as a 
substitute; now the winter has been made the principal dairy 
season in that, as well as other towns. Contrast the butter 
making of our mothers, the tedious setting of milk in shallow 
pans for twenty-four hours, and the removing of the cream with 
a perforated tin, the churning with a dash churn, and the knead, 
ing of the butter by hand, with the new process of converting 
fresh milk into butter in one and a half minutes, and the 
separation of cream of any desired thickness without waiting 
for the milk to cool. 

*Dr. Miller of franklin. 



31 

A great change has come over the industrial organizations 
in this rural town ; the little manufacturing plants, mills and 
workshops which once offered employment and diversity in, 
country occupations, have one by one disappeared until the 
Portable House Factory, which certainly is a modern invention,, 
is the only one that remains. 

The Noanet Mills on Charles River were the successors of 
a long line of mill enterprises, the first of which it has been said 
was established at Charles River Village soon after King 
Philip's War. The earliest mill of which we have any record at 
that place, was situated on the Dover side of the river, and was 
in operation in 1733. A fulling mill was soon added to meet 
the demand of the times for the fulling of woolen cloth. This 
was followed a century ago by the rolling mill, nail factory,, 
paper mills, etc., which in the past have employed so many 
persons. 

A saw mill, which was used for the squaring of two sides of 
pieces of ship timber, was established on Mill Brook on Wilson- 
dale street, previous to 1690. Weaving shops, coopers' shops, 
blacksmith shops, cabinet makers shops, a brush factory, whip 
factory and innumerable cider mills, added a little employment 
and variety to labor ; while a tannery, currying shop, saw mills, 
a shingle mill, wheelwright's shop, shoe factory, keg mill, glue 
works and shoe tilling factories, broke the monotony of farm 
lite. 

Little shoeshops abounded in the sixties, which gave em- 
ployment to many young men ; the women in many homes 
closed the seams of shoes by hand, which occupation was 
followed by the braiding of straw, the making of palm leaf hats 
and the sewing of straw bonnets. All this has passed away to- 
the advantage of the home and woman-kind. We may still 
rejoice that this is a rural community and one not effected by 
the decadence which has visited so many New England towns,, 
a community which still bears to a remarkable degree the respect 
which it bore at the time of the Revolutionary War. The 
population is scarcely greater today than in 1776. There are 
but a few more houses in the center of the town than at that 



32 

■time. The waters of our brooks still run unhampered to the 
•^ocean, with fording places as of old, where beasts of burden 
^still quench their thirst. The view from the crest of Pegan 
Hill is still unbroken and still unsurpassed. The meeting house 
with its heaven pointing spire, still crowns meeting house hill 
as of yore. The old tavern with all its suggestions of past 
■hospitality still occupies its ancient site. The old training- 
field is unencroached upon, and the ancient burying ground 
which contains the precious dust of our ancestors, suggests the 
peace and repose which has come to those who rest from their 
labors. 

The last one of the old horse blocks has been removed, 
but the pound still remains and is a centre of interest, as an 
institution of the fathers, which v/as transplanted to this country 
and has come down through a thousand years of the past. 

Many of our roads still wind as of old, under bending 
branches, and the charm of Powisset plain and Noanet Brook, 
with their associations of Indian life, still remain. Civilization 
is always marked by the progress which a people make in the 
means of communication, the building of roads. Bushnell says: 
" the road is that physical sign or symbol by which you will 
best understand any age or people. If they have no roads they 
are savages, for the road is the creation of man and a type of 
civilized society. 

The Dedham settlers paid careful attention to highways 
from the start. In 1638 it was ordered "that diligent and 
careful respect should be had to the laying out of all highways, 
that they may be well marked and dooled and the breaths re- 
corded." Nevertheless it is impossible to determine when 
many of our roads were laid out and built. 

They were at first but Indian paths or cartways, which 
were later developed into roads. The town of Dedham in laying 
out a tract of land for divison among the proprietors in i66o, 
voted that it should begin at the end of the plain next to Straw- 
berry Hill **** at the south end of the next hill, and so proceed 
according as the several plots are marked. As this land was 
'Carly improved, there was at least a cartway from Dedham to 



35 

Strawberry Hill at an early time, which was later extended in 
several directions. 

In 1 700-1 fence viewers were chosen for " Edward Richards' 
farm, (now the Burgess place in Dedham) Ralph Days' ground, 
and "the other fields Natick ward." Ralph Day's "field" as 
it was sometimes called, was at the foot of Strawberry Hill 
street, and was long known as the Day homestead. A com- 
mittee of the town of Dedham appointed "to lay out a road 
over Great Brook, near Natick, toward Pegan Hill," reported in 
1687 that they had laid it out from Ralph Day's land, where it 
is now drawn to their own land ***and so by Thomas Battelle's 
land, over the brook to hard land where it was later connected 
with Main street, which was a part of the road extending from 
Medfield to South Natick, This lay out was evidently Haven 
street, with that part of Dedham street, which extends east 
from Haven street to the foot of Strawberry Hill. 

In 1668 in granting land to Eleazer Lusher, which lay 
between the land of Thomas Battelle and Charles River in part, 
and the great Brook, a long ridge or piece of high land, was 
reserved for a cartway to the bridge over the brook. On the 
23rd of September, 1695, a committee laid out a way from 
Noanet Brook where the way was then drawn, to a run of 
water, and so over Clay Brook and the bridge, through the land 
granted to Major Lusher, to the ridge of high land, as it was 
marked on the south side of the way to the high bank near the 
river. This layout was doubtless Cross and Charles River 
streets. This street was later extended to Natick. 

While we are unable to positively assert which one of the 
above roads was first traveled, yet the fact that the Clay Brook 
road, led by the bank of the river, — the streams being usually 
followed in early settlements, — and had at least one little farm 
that of Andrew Dewin, which was occupied in 1669, coupled 
with the record that provision was made for this road in early 
grants of land, strongly points to the Clay Brook road, as the 
older of the two. 

Daniel Morse of Medfield bought about 1656, eight hun- 
dred acres of land in Sherborn, adjoining Charles River where he 



34 

soon settled. February 12, 1658, the town of Dedham granted to> 
Daniel Morse "so much timber near Charles River as might be 
fit to build a bridge over the said river over against his farm 
near Natick " because " timber is very scarce in his farm," This 
timber was for Farm Bridge. The Dedham settlers were doubt- 
less willing to make this grant, because they had three thousand 
four hundred acres of land in the east part of Sherborn on 
Charles River. As Mr, Morse continued, for many years, to 
attend church at Medfield, he needed this bridge, which he 
doubtless built soon after receiving his grant of timber. 

County street, as a part of the road running from Dedham 
to Medfield, was early used ; while Walpole street was in 
existence on the 19th of April, 1775, when the Walpole Minute 
Men marched over this road on their w-ay to meet the retreating 
British troops. 

Attention was called at the outset to the five oldest farms 
in town, (naming them in the order of their settlement) that we 
might in imagination picture to ourselves the life there led by 
those early settlers. 

I want now to call your attention to the five oldest houses 
in Dover. Having made this subject a careful study, I 
believe I am correct in my estimate. The oldest house stand- 
ing today is the one on Smith street now owned by Robert S» 
Minot, where the speaker was born. This house first stood in 
Medfield, on the farm of David Morse, and was occupied by his 
son, Seth Morse, who was drowned, with two sons in Charles 
River in 1753. William S. Tilden, the historian of Medfield, 
gives it as his opinion, derived from history and tradition, that 
this house was built perhaps in 1730 but not later than 1741. 
It was afterwards occupied by Daniel Perry who married in 
1758, Thankful, sister of Seth Morse. As there were other 
buildings on the original farm, this house was sold about 1790 
to Amos Wight, who moved it, together with a barn, to the 
west part of Dover. Daniel Perry, who occupied this old house 
for many years, was Medfied's most prominent citizen during 
the period of the Revolutionary War. He was for eight years 
a representative to the General Court, also judge of the Court 



35 

of Common Pleas. He was a member of the committee appoint, 
ed in 1776 to instruct their Representative to favor measures to 
resist taxation without representation, also one of the Com- 
mittee of Correspondence in 1774, and a delegate to the 
Provincial Congress held at Watertown in 1775. He was a 
lieutenant in the Revolutionary Army. 

These old floors have resounded to the tread of many a 
patriot of the Revolution, and these old rafters have echoed a 
voice which was raised for constitutional rights. Memories and 
associations of a remote time still haunt the old house, and long 
may it stand as a shrine where our children's children may 
gather. 

The next oldest house is that of John Glassett on Haven 
street, which was built in 1747 by Joseph Chickering. The 
third is that of John A. Sullivan on Strawberry Hill, which was 
built by David Fuller in 1755. The old tavern, in the centre of 
the town, stands fourth in the list, having been built by Daniel 
Whiting in 1761. Mr. Whiting rendered the most distinguished 
service of any citizen of Dedham in the war of the Revolution, 
attaining to the rank of a lieutenant-colonel. The house of 
George Ellis Chickering on Haven street, which was built in 
1767, and remodelled just a hundred years afterwards, completes 
the list. Here can be seen the picturesque well sweep, and one 
may drink from a well which for more than two centuries has 
quenched the thirst of man and beast. It is a remarkable fact 
that all of these old houses were once owned and occupied by 
Revolutionary soldiers. 

Have you a picture of the house where you were born ? If 
not, get one if you can, as it will be of priceless value to you, 
ever helping you and your children, through the imagination, to 
realize something of the heroic sacrifices that were made for you 
on that spot, ever reminding you of a father's watchful care, a 
mother's tender love, a sister's affection, or a brother's com- 
panionship. 

I have now gathered up, in a brief way, some of the events 
of earlier years, that future generations may learn the story of 
the past, as it has been told here for many years, by those who 



36 

were to the manor born. We need often in our imagination to 
return to the house of our fathers, the home of our childhood 
and there renew the associations of those tender years. 

" Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, 
Lest we forget, lest we forget." 



The President called upon one of the invited guests, the 
Rev. Calvin S. Locke of Westwood, acting pastor of the 
First Parish Church in the years 1869 to 1880, who gave 
reminiscences of his experiences while he was here. We are 
sorry that we cannot give in full his very interesting remarks 
which being impromptu cannot now be gathered up. The same 
with the remarks of the next speaker from our invited guests. 
Rev. Edwin Leonard of Melrose, who was pastor of the Evan- 
gelical Congregational Church during the years 1892 to 1898. 

In closing the morning exercises, the President invited the 
audience to join in singing *'01d Lang Syne." 

An intermission followed, giving the guests an opportunity 
to renew old acquaintances. The informality of the basket 
lunch added to the sociability of the hour. The Heinlein 
Cadet Band of South Natick gave an open air concert during 
the intermission. The exercises of the afternoon were opened 
by the singing of " Home Sweet Home." The President then 
gave an interesting account of the Old Pound and Powder 
House. 



THE POUND 



The pound is situated just back of the railroad station, 
near the Unitarian church. It was built of large stone and had 
a heavy oak gate with a large, strong lock. It was built for the 
purpose of confining stray cattle that might be found on the 
highway or had broken into a neighboring field and destroyed 
growing crops. This happening much oftener in years past than 
now, as barbed and other wire were not in use, the fences being 
less secure. Cattle driven to the pound were locked in by the 
pound keeper and a fee of fifty cents required of the owner 



37 

before they were liberated. When there was a large herd the 
expense amounted to quite a sum. 

It sometimes happened that a person had a feud against 
another, if he could find his enemy's cattle on the highway and 
drive them to the pound, the expense was a good way of 
settling the affair. It was the custom to choose a pound 
keeper every year. The victim for this office was always the 
last married man before the annual March meeting, no matter if 
he were a minister, he had to stand for a year, as there was no 
resigning. 

A few years since the pound was partially demolished. 
By the vote of the town it has since been rebuilt and is now in 
good condition and will, we hope, always be preserved for its 
historical value. 



THE POWDER HOUSE 



The powder house was situated a short distance from here 
on Walpole street, on a ledge, on land now owned by Mrs. 
Patrick McNamara. It was built of brick with a roof of wood, 
and was for the storage of powder. There was no door on it or 
powder in it as I remember. When a small boy I used to go 
inside, but quickly ran out for fear it would blow up, although 
there was no powder in it, but. the name powder house gave me 
that impression. 

Many years since, by vote of the town, it was sold at 
auction for a small amount, much to the regret of us all today, 
but there was not as much interest taken at that time in those 
things, or historic value placed upon them as at the present 
time. 



A violin solo. First Part to Concerto, Ch. de Berict, was 
given by Miss Idalian Howard of Natick, followed by a paper 
upon the Old Parsonage by Mrs. Lizzie Chickering. 



THE OLD PARSONAGE. 



The house which we know as the old parsonage was built 
by the Rev. Benjamin Caryl, the first minister settled in what 



38 

was the fourth precinct of Dedham and known as Springfield 
parish. He was the son of Benjamin and grandson of Benjamin 
and Mary "Carril," and was born in Hopkinton in 1732. He 
studied theology wath Rev. Henry Messenger at Wrentham and 
graduated from Harvard in the class of 17 61. 

He was well known to the people here, having preached as 
one of the "supplies," on which they had depended while build- 
ing their "meeting-house" — a period of ten years. Having 
finally succeeded in finishing it in the spring- of 1762 they de- 
cided to ask him to settle among them as their pastor. 

In those days choosing a minister was a serious undertak- 
ing. Candidates often preached for months before they received 
a call, and if, after due consideration they decided to accept, 
their acceptance meant being willing to settle for life. Mr. 
Caryl's letter of acceptance is dated September fifth, 1762. He 
•was ordained on the tenth of the following month, people com- 
ing from far and near to attend the ordination. 

On the ninth of December, the same year, he married Mrs. 
Sarah (Messenger) Kollock, of Wrentham, a daughter of his 
former tutor, the Rev. Henry Messenger, and widow of Dr. 
Cornelius Kollock. She was eight years older than Mr. Caryl 
and had one son fifteen years of age. 

P'or a time they lived in Wrentham (on the farm purchased 
by Dr. Kollock in 1745, while he was still a student), Mr. Caryl 
travelling on horseback over the roads between his farm and 
his pulpit. 

According to the deed dated July nineteen, 1764 he "pur- 
chased of John Griggs, weaver, for the sum of 2 20;{J', lawful 
money, his homestead and about forty acres of land, being part 
upland and part meadow." Later, in 1772, he added twenty- 
three and one-half acres, and in 1788 fourteen acres adjoining 
the land tirst purchased. 

In the old house which was on the farm when purchased 
their two children were born : — Benjamin, born December sixth, 
1764, died September twelfth, 1775, eleven years of age. The 
stone which marks his grave is close by those of his father and 
mother in the old burying-ground. George, born April first, 



39 

1769, died August ninth, 1829. The old house was fast falling 
to deca)- but they continued to occupy it till the present one 
was built in 1777. 

The farm, principally the additional acres purchased in 
1772, furnished all the lumber for the new house : oak for frame 
and covering boards and pine for floors, interior finish and other 
wood work. 

Building a house was a much more tedious process then 
than now. All shingles were shaved by hand and laths split 
from boards. Clapboards, doors, frames, window sashes, pan- 
nelling and moulding must all be worked out by hand by the 
■"carpenter and jomer," who was always his own lather and of- 
ten brick layer and plasterer. 

This house contained all the conveniences of those days 
and even what were considered luxuries. All the front rooms 
were plastered. The beaufet with its glass doors was built in 
the corner of the "best room," and cnpboards, also, with glass 
■doors, beside the chimney and over the fireplaces where the ink 
bottle must be kept and anything else they wished to keep from 
freezing. An extra fireplace was built in one bedroom so that 
the minister's wife could have a warm sleeping room, the flue 
being carried diagonally across the attic and entering the chim- 
ney just beneath the roof. But when they put only three win- 
dows into the south side of the house and gave the north, facing 
the street, the full complement, they showed less regard for 
•comfort than appearances. Evidently the predjudice against 
everything F.nglish was not universal as one of the chambers 
was papered with English wall paper. 

In the "best room " was the high-posted bedstead with its 
■canopy and curtains fllling one corner, the high-backed rush- 
bottomed chairs standing in a stiff row against the wall ; the 
light stand in the chimney corner supporting the mahogany 
■"waiter" with its tea set, decanter and glasses where the min- 
ister's wife entertained her " company," or the minister discussed 
theology with visiting ministers. 

Most of the furnishings have disappeared. A portion of 
the bed curtain is with the collection belonging to the Histori- 
cal Society. It is of homespun linen with crude embroidery of 



40 

thistles in natural colors. The minister's wife brought the cur- 
tains, which were her own handiwork, from her home in Wren- 
tham when they came here in 1764. The Society also has a 
pewter platter, the old family Bible with autograph and sermons 
and a book containing two sermons which belonged to the min- 
ister's wife. It has in it her name and the date, 1787. The 
binding was evidently done at home — the paper used being a 
Thanksgiving Proclamation dated 1777. 

The bracket shaving glass the minister always used, the old 
cradle with carved head, the mirror in its mahogany frame? 
which hung in the best room and the mahogany "waiter " are 
still in good preservation. 

The wife died in 1807, eighty-two years of age. 

The good old minister lived to hold in his arms the young- 
est of his nine grandchildren. He went to his long home No- 
vember fourteen, 181 1, being nearly eighty years of age, having 
been in the ministry fifty years, and having written and delivered 
more than a thousand sermons. 

The second son, George, born April first, 1769, graduated 
at Harvard in 1788. He married Pamela Martin, and bringing 
his young wife to live in a part of his father's house, commenced 
the practice of medicine. He is the only resident physician 
this town has ever had. Nine children were born to them, five 
of whom died in childhood. 

The doctor died in 1829, sixty years of age. His wife lived 
to the age of eighty-five years, being cared for by a son and 
daughter who had remained in the old home. Two daughters 
had married and gone to homes of their own. One was wedded 
to the man whose brain thought out what is today known as the 
" Goodyear process " for hardening rubber. He held patents 
for some of his inventions, among them one for castors for 
trunks, without which, the trunk of today would be incomplete. 
And still, " he was to fortune and to fame unknown." 

In the business depression about the time of the Civil War,' 
broken in health and discouraged, the sisters (the elder one be" 
ing widowed years before) returned with their families to the 
shelter of the old home. And there they waited weary years till 



41 

one by one they were called " into the great beyond." Now the 
last one has gone and the old homestead has passed into other 
hands. 

But the march of improvement has passed it by. Its frame 
of solid oak is as sound as ever, and much of the original outer 
covering is still to be seen. Some of the windows are the same- 
that admitted light a century ago and the bird-house for the 
martins is yet under the eaves. 

The wide front door with its old fashioned latch and bolt 
still swings on the massive iron hinges. The big chimney with 
yawning fireplaces still fills the centre of the house. In the best 
room are the heavy corner posts, the pannelling by the chimney 
and tiny cupboards with glazed doors and quaint latches. The 
old kitchen with rafters showing overhead ceiled up with pine i 
the dresser shelves where once the well scoured pewter shone ; 
the high mantle over the big fireplace with its swinging crane 
and handy niche where the good man kept his pipe ; the big 
brick oven and wide hearth ; the quaint old doors opening into 
bedrooms at either end, in one of which is the tiny fireplace 
with its little cupboard above ; the wooden latches with their 
latch strings ; the wide floor boards and unpainted woodwork 
darkened by age : all belong to the days of long ago. 

Many forest fires have threatened to destroy it. These and> 
the ravages of time made repairing it a necessity. This has- 
been done in such a way that it still appears to be what in. 
reality it is — the old parsonage built by the first minister of this.. 
place in 1777. 



Miss Edith McClure then gave the following recitation 
NEW ENGLAND 



This is our own, our native home. 
Though poor and rough she be; 

The home of many a noble soul, 
The birthplace of the free. 

We'll love her rocks and rivers 
Till death our quick blood chills : 



42 

Hurrah for old New England ! 

And her cloud-capped granite hills ! 
'They tell us of our freezing clime, 

Our hard and rugged soil ; 
"Which hardly half repays us for 

Our springtime care and toil ; 
Yet gaily sings the merry boy 

As his homestead farm he tills: 
Hurrah for old New England ! 

And her cloud-capped granite hills ! 
'Others may seek the Western clime — 

They say 'tis passing fair ; 
That sunny are its laughing skies 

And soft its balmy air. 
We'll linger 'round our childhood home, 

Till age our warm blood chills ; 
Till we die in old New England, 

And sleep beneath her hills. 

— Y. Y. 



The President then called upon Mr. Ansel K. Tisdale, who 
ipoke upon the historic features of the 

"OLD TOLL HOUSE." 



Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen: — It gives me 
great pleasure to bring to you the greetings of the Dover His- 
torical and Natural History Society and to express the hope 
that all of you may live to visit us on the occasion of the next 
celebration of "Old Home Day" in this town. 

We are neither an old or a large organization but the 
enembers are active, earnest, and painstaking in their work, and 
already they have accumulated a goodly sized collection of 
relics and articles of historic value, both local and general. 

At present the society has forty-one active members and 
•quite a list of honorary members. The regular business meet- 
ings of the society are held on the first Saturdays of January^ 
^pril, July and October. 



43 

The society was organized in 1895, with a list of twenty 
seven charter members, but in 1900 it was deemed advisable to 
incorporate it, and the original society was merged in the new 
one accordingly, and has continued under fairly prosperous 
conditions until the present time. 

It is the aim of the officers and members to make the 
society one of use in this community and to preserve intact 
many articles which will be of great interest to future genera- 
tions. We are pleased to show you some of these articles 
today. Our latch string is always on the outside and we should 
be pleased to have you visit us at any time. 

I have been asked to say a few words about the " Old Toll 
House " which stood on the old Dedham and Hartford Turn- 
pike in the south part of the town. 

It is perhaps valuable as a "relic," not because of excessive 
age, but because it now stands as it was when built, (although 
not in the same place) and because its use and purpose marks 
the decay of a system of highway travel then quite popular but 
now obsolete in this part of the country. 

The Dedham and Hartford Turnpike, so called, passes 
through the south part of the town for a distance of perhaps 
one and one-fourth miles, from east to west, and this house 
stood about half-way from these two outside points. 

I hold in my left hand a picture of the Tisdale house, now 
owned by Mr. J. V. Schaffner, and it was to the ell attached to 
this house that the toll house and a part of the sleeping room 
were taken when the Turnpike Corporation before alluded to 
was dissolved and it was no longer needed. In my right hand 
I hold a picture of the Toll House as it stood then and stands 
now. The office, as the picture shows, is a little building about 
twelve feet square with its large panel door, old-fashioned, large 
sized windows and wooden shutters, the overhanging eaves, all 
of which show the style of buildings of those days. Connected 
with the office was a sleeping room. My grandfather was the 
official keeper, but placed his sister-in-law, Mrs. Rebecca 
Hastings, in charge. Mrs. Hastings was the mother of Capt. 
Charles W. Hastings, the present popular Massachusetts Com- 



44 

missioner of State Aid for Soldiers, and his two elder brothers*' 
Oscar and Henry, were born in this sleeping room. 

In this picture of the house (in which by the way my 
grandfather, father, myself and my son were born,) the white 
line at the bottom shows the outline of the turnpike (now 
called Hartford street) and the broader white line represents 
Walpole street, which two streets cross each other directly in 
front of the house. 

Directly opposite the front door of the house and on the 
northerly side of the turnpike about 150 feet from said door,, 
stood the toll gate buildings. In our modern way of looking 
at convenience and comfort, we should hardly think of placing 
a gate designed to stop vehicles while the drivers might trans- 
act business with the keeper, in the middle of a hill of at least 
a half-mile ascent, but such was the fact in this case. 

Concerning the methods of transacting the toll business, I 
believe that the Historical Society has a book (written) which 
shows perhaps what classes of vehicles were allowed to pass 
without having to be paid for on the spot, but of which account 
was kept and the bills paid at stated intervals. Notably in this 
class were stages and mail-bearing vehicles. 

I will not longer trespass on your time, and ladies and 
gentlemen, I thank you for your very kind attention. 



Mr. Richard Bond read a paper upon 

THH WILSON HOMESTEAD. 



The Wilson family is, undoubtedly, one of the oldest fam- 
ilies in the state and was the first family to settle within the 
limits of Dover. 

Henry Wilson came from Kent, England, in 1637, with 
Mary Metcalf, his future wife, and settled on what is now called 
Wilsondale Farm. He built his house of one room on the south 
side of the path from Dedham to the Common pasture ground, 
which included the Strawberry Hill District. On awakening 
the first morning he was greeted by a wild cat looking in upon 
him. 



45 

The original house, which from time to time was enlarged, 
stood back of where the barn now stands and was taken down 
about thirty-five years ago. The house now standing at the 
corner of Dedham and Chestnut Streets, near Day's bridge, con. 
tains many of the boards and timbers of the first house. The 
old barn stood in the road as it is now located, nearly in front 
of the new barn. 

The original farm consisted of about two hundred and sixty 
acres, divided as follows: The home place of about one hundred 
and fifteen acres, and joining it, fifty acres of woodland which 
is now in Westwood, six acres in the Broad Meadows of Need- 
ham, eight acres of tillage on the west bank of the Charles 
River, also in VV^estwood, and eighty-five acres or more in other 
parts of Dover. At that time almost every farmer in the vicin- 
ity of Dedham owned at least a few acres in the Broad meadows 
of Needham. 

The original road, now called Wilsondale Street, which ex- 
tends over Strawberry Hill, was straightened and greatly im- 
proved by Ephraim Wilson at his own expense in 1799. An 
elm tree, planted by him about one hundred and fifty years ago, 
still stands on the side of this old road, offering its great leafy 
branches for shade to the passersby. 

At least two hundred years ago there was a saw mill built 
ty the side of the road on what was called the Mill Brook. The 
■water which furnished the power for the running of this mill 
was held back on the land which now comprises most of the 
mowing and tillage of the farm by a dam, the remains of which 
can yet be seen. 

Every descendant of Henry Wilson who has since occupied 
the farm has been an Ephraim Wilson until now. 

The early Wilsons derived their income from the sale of 
ship timber, elm logs for wheel hubs and ox bows, burning and 
selling charcoal and also from a cider mill, which was run for 
one hundred and fifty years or more. 

Ephraim Wilson, grandfather of the present generation^ 
was employed by the United States government during the 
"War of 1812 in carting supplies between Boston and Philadel- 



46 

phia. This was done with an ox team, and a large chain used 
by him at that time is still on the place. 

From this farm many Indians have gathered material for 
basket making, and on coming to the house were given food 
with the assurance of friendly feelings, but for over fifty years 
few if any Indians have been seen on the place. 

The Wilsons have always been prominent in church and 
civil life. Ephraim Wilson was a member of the first school 
committee and deacon of the first Unitarian Church of Dover. 
This same deacon had a black horse that would start for church 
from wherever he happened to be when he heard the church- 
bell ring, his favorite route being through his neighbor's straw" 
berry piece. There is still in the possession of Mrs. Ephraim 
Wilson a deed of pew number eight in this same church, dated 
November 4, 1839, ^^^ deeded to Deacon Ephraim Wilson. 



Miss Howard again favored the audience with violin solos, 
"Valse Gracieuse" by Sam Franko and "Berceuse" from 
" Jocelyn" by B. Godard. She was accompanied by Miss Ella 
Hanchett of South Natick. 



Master Thomas Jefferson Tobey, nine years of age, dressed 
in costume, gave the following recitation : 

THE FARMER'S ALMANAC. 



Go, git the Farmer's Almanac an' bring it hum ter me ; 

Be sure an' git the latest one, marked "nineteen hundred 

three." 
I've read the old one through an' through, I've got it most by 

heart, 
It's jest chock full o' good advice in every single part. 
We can't keep house without it, 'n' each twelve nionth without 

fail. 
There's got ter be a new one thar', a-hanging on the nail ; 
So mind, yer don't forgit it, naow, an' when yer come from 

taown, 
We'll hang up this year's almanac an' take the ole one daown. 



47 

The gals they read them story books — can't seem ter o-ft 

enough 
Of readin' 'bout the Jacks and Jills — a silly mess o' stuff ; 
They say that it's historical, but hist'ry don't tell when 
It's time ter cut the fodder corn or haow ter set a hen ; 
In all them gilt-edged books o' their'n, I'll bet they never saw 
No readin' thet would tell 'em when they might expect a thaw. 
I like ter read good common sense, an' though it ain't in rhyme. 
The good old farmer's almanac jest gits thar' every time. 
The boys they nagged me ter subscribe (well, what a fool I 

wuz !) 
To the Jayville Weekly Rumor, 'n' I did ; but, dear me, suz. 
Jest tells abaout the neighb'ring folks, an' every kind o' yarn, 
But nary word yer'll see 'baout haow ter ventilate the barn. 
Naow, take it when the winter's gone, them poets hev their 

fling. 
An' act so awful tickled, jest because it's comin' spring ; 
They prate abaout the balmy air, the shootin' of the trees, 
But the almanac don't waste no words — jest tells us, " Naow 

plant peas." 

O, there's comfort these long evenin's when all in my working. 

togs 
I read thet little book beside the blazin' hickory logs. 
An' ma she sets, a-knittin' — my ! but haow them needles fly ! 
A-flashin' in the firelight, like ez though they'd blind yer eye, 
An' she listens while I read out loud like this : " Now kill yer 

hog," 
An' then ag'in : "Baout this time put a muzzle on ther dog." 
It's mighty interestin', an' es fur es I can see. 
The yearly farmers' almanac jest fills the bill fer me. 



A quartette consisting of Mrs, H. C. Packard, Mrs, Etta 
Hall, Mr. Allen Smith and Mr. Joseph Ziolkowski, then ren- 
dered " Home Again." 



Mrs. M. A. Everett followed with some interesting facts 
concerning "The Flag," which was made by ladies of Dover at 
the time of the Civil war. 



48 
THE FLAG. 



In this delightful home coming of the sons and daughters 
of Dover, when it has been such a pleasure to grasp the hand 
In friendship, and look in the faces of friends long absent, you 
^ill pardon, I am sure, if I ask your attention for a few 
moments to a memory dear to us all. 

Forty-two years ago our gatherings in town were far dif- 
ferent from this today. Those who were not in the midst of it 
can hardly realize or imagine the excitement that prevailed 
when the news came that Fort Sumter had been attacked. 

Although It had been known for a long time that there was 
-a division of feeling between the North and the South, few 
really believed that there was to be serious lighting ; but when 
President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers, then the truth 
flashed upon us that war was here — had already begun. 

How quickly the young men of this town who had been 
quietly working in shops, or on farms, responded to the call. 
They were not only ready, but anxious to don the coat of blue, 
shoulder their rifie and march to the front. How well we 
recall them as they said their good byes, strong, noble young 
men, giving themselves for their country's protection. xVlany 
homes were saddened and hearts made heavy as the boy who 
had been cradled in his mother's arms went forth, mayhap for 
the first time from his childhood home. The anxiety with 
which the one daily mail was watched for can hardly be de- 
scribed, as we clusteaed around the venerable postmaster, Mr. 
Isaac Howe, for our share in its contents. 

My sister, Miss Plummer, whom many will remember was 
teaching in New York at the time, said the excitement there 
was intense. Coming home for a vacation, she urged that we 
have a flag raised in town to show our interest and sympathy 
in this great struggle. 

Bunting could not be had in Boston, the demand so 
much exceeded the supply. We sisters, with our father's help, 
bought the cloth of which this flag was made, cotton cloth then 
being fifty cents a yard. We cut out our flag, the stars, stripes 
.and eagle, with the mottoes, "The Constitution" on one side 



49 

and "Liberty and Union" on the other. The stars and states 
then numbered thirty-four. 

Then we invited our nearest neighbors, Mrs. John Kenrick, 
Mrs. Asa Talbot, Mrs. Alexander Soule and Mrs. Aaron Bacon 
to help set the many stitches. My father's home was then at 
what is now known as the Minot cottage. When it was finished 
we invited the men of the neighborhood to erect a staff 
for the flag, which should announce to all beholders every 
Union victory during the war. My father (Mr. Plummer), 
Mr. Asa Talbot and Mr. Everett went into the woods and cut a 
fine tree and made the staff, which was erected )ust inside the 
gate, in the field opposite where we now live, there being no 
trees growing on the roadside then. 

At the raising a goodly number of people assembled, and 
Mr. Theodore Dunn, mounted upon a temporary platform of 
two barrels and a board, made a stirring speech. So, amid 
cheers and hand-clapping, our flag was made ready for duty. 
At the conclusion of the exercises, I was requested to take 
charge of the flag. The ropes, with pulleys attached, extended 
from our attic window to the top of the stafl^, and the flag hung 
at full length over the road. 

The year of '6i gave few Union victories, and the flag 
could not float. But with '62 came the victories of Shiloh, 
Yorktown, South Mountain and others, with the surrender of 
New Orleans ; '63 brought the memorable battles of Gettys- 
burg, Vicksburg, and Gen, Hooker's scaling the heights of 
Lookout Mountain. 

How proudly I climbed the attic stairs and swung out the 
flag for these, and the battles of '64 — the battle of the Wilder- 
ness, the capture of Savannah, Sherman's march to the sea, 
and lastly, in '65, for the surrender of Lee and Johnson. The 
flag told to all who passed under its folds that it was proclaim- 
ing the success of our armies, and that our boys in blue were 
working, fighting, suffering, and dying for liberty and the 
Union. Some few of the boys are here today with hair grown 
gray and step less elastic, but with hearts as brave and love of 
country as strong as when they said their fond adieus in '61. 
Others whom we dearly loved never returned, but laid down 



5° 

their lives for their country and the flag so dear to us alL 
Then let this be our motto, " In God is our trust," and 

"The star spangled banner in triumph shall wave. 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." 



The President then introduced Mr. Elbridge G. P. Guy of 
Worcester, one of our invited guests and a former resident of 
the town, who gave the following reminiscences: 
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: — 

I did not come here to make an address, but rather in 
response to your kind invitation to come back home to this old 
town after an absence of over thirty years to grasp the hand of 
some of those whom I knew in my boyhood days. 

My early home was in the southern part of Dover about a 
half mile from the old toll gate, which has been so well de- 
scribed here today. We had quite a fair-sized village all in 
two houses, being one of twelve children. If we had all re- 
mained there we might have come over to your annual town 
meeting and voted for this beautiful town hall, the library, and 
the other improvements to that section of the town. 

The memory of those early days comes to me very clearly 
and I notice before me two young men — young men they are, 
because I am — and they were boys with me. Well do I re- 
member who was the owner of the fastest sled. I was interested 
in the recitation, " The Farmer's Almanac," for I started in 
business peddling from house to house in Medfield, Robert 
Thom's Almanac, which was the most important book, next to 
the Bible, owned by the farmers. 

Perhaps I can reveal a secret to you. White huckle- 
berries grew in this town and we picked them every year and 
sent them to market, getting a good price for them. When ripe 
they are white on one side and spotted red on the other, and 
the place where they grew we kept a secret. 

The good old Parson Sanger has been spoken of here 
today. Well do I remember a little story told by mother of 
Mr. Sanger calling on one of the dear old ladies of his people, 
who brought him a cup of tea and persisted in pouring in the 



51 

wiolasses, saying, "All molasses is none too good for our dear 
pastor." 

My father and grandfather were born in this town and the 
early home was in a little red house owned and occupied by the 
father of your historian and was, I believe, torn down by him. 
I have heard my father say that in those early and troublesome 
■days they placed a cheese in the attic window and the Indians, 
supposing it to be a face, wasted their ammunition filling it full 
■of holes. 

Mr. President, I was interested in your description of the 
■old pound and I wondered whether or not it was your custom 
at your annual town meeting to elect a pound keeper. In the 
town of Auburn I visited the pound, accompanied by one of 
the town officers, and found it kept in excellent condition. At 
the entrance, filling nearly the entire space, stands a large oak 
making it impossible to enter, and still at every town meeting 
they elect a pound keeper. He is always the last man who was 
married, even though it happened to be the young pastor, if he 
had been in town long enough to be a voter. 

Now with a few words of counsel I am through. To the 
many here today who have been absent for years, where can 
you find a better place to return and investfyour money, where 
you may buy land and houses in a town where taxes are less 
than eight dollars on a thousand. Is there another place in the 
:state to compare with it ? 

And now to the people who occupy the hill farms and own 
their broad acres. Make an effort to bring to your town the 
farmers of the new school. We have farms|in|the towns adjoin- 
ing the city where I live and the buildings are of the latest 
design, their horses are of the finest, their herds of cattle are 
all registered stock. They send their milk to Worcester and 
receive thirty cents per can,"which cost them twenty-five cents 
per quart. Then also potatoes cost them one dollar each but 
they are good. 

These are the sort of families^you want to build up your 
town. They will spend their money here and you will be bene- 
fited by it. 



52 

J. W. Higgins, President of the Dover Temperance Union, 
being called upon said in part as follows : 

Mr. Chairman and Friends: — 

Several days ago the general secretary for Old Home Day 
informed me that I was to be on the Reception Committee for 
today. Upon inquiry as to my duties, I was told that I was to 
shake hands and smile. I congratulated myself upon the easy 
task assigned me. At a much later date I was told that I was 
to speak for the Dover Temperance Union. I am always glad 
to speak a word for that grand organization, that has done so 
much in moulding the character of the boys and girls of Dover 
for the past thirty years or more. Many of them have gone 
out from the old home, but they have carried with them the 
temperance sentiment taught in our union meetings. 

The Dover Temperance Union is the oldest organization 
in town, excepting the churches. It was organized October 4> 
1872, Rev. T. S. Norton, president, and G. L, Howe, secretary. 

During its exisience it has had but five presidents. First, 
Rev. T. S. Norton, a noble Christian man, a consistent worker. 
Though long since gone to his reward he still lives, and will 
ever live, in the memory of those who knew him. His portrait 
graces the walls of this hall, as you see at my right. The 
second president was Rev. A. M. Rice, who occupied the chair 
one year. The third was Hon. Frank Smith, our orator of 
today. The fourth, Ansel K. Tisdale, now president of the 
Dover Historical Society. The fifth, your humble servant. 

The society stands today, as it always has, for good citizen- 
ship, for all that is grand and noble, all that tends to pure 
manhood and womanhood. It is non-sectarian and non-politi- 
cal. We welcome all who will pledge themselves to abstain 
from the use of intoxicant liquors as a beverage. During these 
years three hundred and sixty-one have signed the pledge and 
become members of our society. The time of meeting has 
always been the third Sunday evening of each month. For 
many years the meetings were held in the different churches, 
alternating between the Congregational, Unitarian, Baptist 
and the Mission at Charles River. Of late years the meetings 



53 



have been held in this hall. It is here the fire has been kept 
burning, and we trust it ever will be kept burning, till King 
Alcohol is dethroned and our people are freed from the curse. 



Joseph Ziolkowski, Worthy Master of Dover Grange No. 
117, being called upon spoke as follows: 
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : — 

As the hour is getting late I will not take up much time. 
The Dover Grange was the second order that was started in 
this town, and it has been doing the good work for which it 
was founded. 

Dover Grange has brought the people together and has 
made them better men and women. It is always ready to wel- 
come those who are willing to join us. 

We extend a welcome to all good citizens. 



The afternoon session was closed by singing "America." 
The guests adjourned to the base ball grounds, where the 
Heinlein Cadet Band gave selections throughout the game. 



BASE BALL GAME, 3 P. M. 



MARRIED VS. SINGLE MEN 

married. single. 

James Glassett, ist b. James Chlckering, r.f. 

Irving Stowell, l.f. Frank Bean, c. 

R. S. Minot, c.f. A. Edward Hall, Captain, ist b. 

M. Comiskey, Captain, c. Chester D. Hall, c.f. 

Charles Dandrow, r.f. Charles Durocher, 2d b. 

Chas. Meyers, 2d b. Dennis Glassett, 3d b. 

Max Ziolkowski, p. Weyland Minot, s.s, 

William T. Tisdale, 3d b. Frederic French, p. 

Nicolas McNamara, s.s. William McNamara, l.f. 

Score 10 to 5 in favor of married men at end of fifth in- 
:ning. Game called on account of darkness. Umpire, Clarence 
Thompson, South Natick. 



EEPORT OF THE TREASURER OF DOVER'S 
FIRST OLD HOME DAY 



Dr. 
Amount received from Financial Committee $i6o 43 



a a 


" sale of bad 
Cr. 


ges 


30 00 








Amount paid for 


sports 




J20 00 




refreshments 




23 65 




printing, etc. 




20 25 




band 




35 00 




postage 




5 14 




badges 




32 05 




decorations 




50 00 


Balance, paid to 


Treasurer Dover 


Historical 




and Natural History Society 


• 


4 34 



$190 43 



$190 43 



Respectfully submitted, 

J. S. BATTELLE, 



Treasurer. 



It was voted by the Old Home Day organization that the 
balance of cash on hand, the unsold badges, and the manu- 
script in the hands of the committee on publication be given to 
the Dover Historical and Natural History Society of Dover and 
vicinity, for publication by them and sold for the benefit of 
said society. 

The Historical Society accepted the gift and acknowledged 
the receipt of $4.34 in cash, sixty-seven Old Home Day badges, 
and appointed the following committee to arrange and publish 



55 

a Souvenir Volume of The First Old Home Day of Dover,, 
Mass.: Eben Higgins, Mrs. A. L. Johnson and Allen F. Smithy 
who present the foregoing arrangement of the manuscript 
placed in their hands, and in closing desire to mention that the 
Town House and Sanger School building were finely decorated 
with flags and bunting, as were also all the houses in sight. A 
large flag was suspended over the street in front of the Town 
House with the inscription "Welcome Home" printed in large 
letters on the bottom. An arch was built on the top of the 
rise on the Common, between the depot and the Town House 
twelve feet high and twelve feet wide with " Welcome " on the 
top, a greeting which could be seen as the guests stepped from 
the cars. 

There were between 1200 and 1500 present during the day 
and our Registrar succeeded in*getting over 600 names signed 
in his register for guests. 

Our townspeople and our various committees are to be 
congratulated on the great success of our first Old Home Day. 

EBEN HIGGINS, 
MRS. A. L. JOHNSON, 
ALLEN F. SMITH, 

Committee on Publication. 



NOTICE 

There are a few copies of the Narrative History of Dover, 
by Frank Smith, published in 1897, which can be purchased 
if applied for soon. The price is ^1.50 for the History and 
eighteen cents for postage. The Town Clerk has them for sale. 

L. Of !!• 



J^L 1 1905 



i-4.Di\Mr(i ur i-uriOKt:bb 



014 077 445 5 f 



